


in an (im)perfect world

by Rethira



Category: Tales of Xillia 2
Genre: M/M, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-18 01:55:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3551696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rethira/pseuds/Rethira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You died for me."</p><p>"I'll always die for you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	in an (im)perfect world

Julius would recognise Ludger anywhere – even a Ludger who’s dyed his hair and wears a mask. It’s probably a big brother thing, but then again, it might just be a Julius thing.

Either way, when Victor comes out of his house, Julius sighs softly and asks, “What have you gotten yourself into this time, Ludger?”

For his part, Victor doesn’t even look particularly surprised. He smiles a little – it’s sharper than Ludger’s usual smile. A reminder that for all he might have been a version of Ludger once, he isn’t the Ludger Julius knows.

“Welcome,” Victor murmurs. His smile softens a little. “It’s been a long time, Julius.”

Julius doesn’t bother asking how long. He approaches – carefully, after all, but if he’s right, Victor has a plan. And it doesn’t involve either of them dying here.

“It’s good to see you,” Julius replies. If Victor were his Ludger, he’d reach out to touch him. He itches to do just that, but.... Victor isn’t his Ludger. He’s calm for now, but that could change at any moment.

Victor ducks his head. “You too. Will you come inside?” He gestures to the house behind him, a little uncertainly, and it’s... almost nice to know that even like this, Victor’s still Ludger.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to bribe me with pasta margherita.”

For a second, Victor looks vulnerable behind his mask. It passes and he asks, calmly, “Would you like it? I think I have the ingredients, but it’s been a while since I made it. Elle doesn’t like tomatoes.” He turns to go in.

Julius chuckles and follows Victor. “And here you had all those great tomato dishes to show her,” he says.

Victor shrugs. “I make most of them Elle-style these days. She likes that she has her own special style.” His smile now is as gentle as any Ludger ever wears. Julius’ heart aches, just a little.

“I’ll take it normal style, with tomatoes, please.”

Victor moves over to the kitchen. His lips quirk a little and he says, “Julius-style then,” and for a moment Julius is overwhelmed- there isn’t _anything_ he wouldn’t do for Ludger.

Julius clears his throat and looks away. It hurts to see that expression on Victor’s face. “Yeah,” he agrees, quietly.

They lapse into silence – it’s not quite uncomfortable, but could easily go that way, Julius knows. For now, Victor busies himself in the kitchen, while Julius carefully looks around. There are a few photo frames on the walls – pictures of Victor and Elle, or just Elle by herself. There’s one picture of a pretty woman with hair the same colour as Elle’s. Her mother, probably.

No pictures of Julius, but then, Julius didn’t expect there to be.

If Elle had seen his face in pictures, she probably would have wondered why, and Victor couldn’t have that.

“Julius,” Victor calls, “it’ll be ready soon. Go wash up. The bathroom’s just at the top of the stairs.”

Julius nods and hurries to go and do just that. There are more photos on the walls upstairs, and the house really is beautiful.

Beautiful, but too big for only two people. This house was made for more; made for friends and family to visit and stay.

And now Victor lives here alone, waiting for Elle to come home.

The least Julius can do is give him a little company before the end.

 

Victor takes his mask off after dinner. The right side of his face is blackened, and his eye has changed colour to reddish pink. Julius is looking at his own future; he takes off his glove, so that Victor can see his hand.

“You too?” Victor asks. He brushes his hand over Julius’ fingers. “You still have time, Julius. Stop using your Chromatus – stop visiting fractured dimensions. You won’t stop it, but it will slow the process.”

Julius smiles back at him and tangles their fingers together. Victor doesn’t pull away. “You know I can’t do that.”

Victor closes his eyes and squeezes Julius’ hand. “I know.”

 

Later still, Julius cups Victor’s blackened cheek. He brushes his thumb along Victor’s cheekbone and murmurs, “My poor baby brother.”

Victor leans into the touch, eyes fluttering closed. He turns and kisses the palm of Julius’ hand – his eyes open just a little, assessing Julius’ reaction. Julius cups the back of Victor’s head and leans forwards until their foreheads press together. Victor smiles – like and unlike Ludger again, but like enough that Julius stays.

“Kiss me?” Victor asks. There’s not a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

A little shuddery breath escapes Julius, and he shifts to brush his lips over Victor’s.

“Again,” Victor murmurs, and this time he deepens the kiss. His hand curls over the back of Julius’ neck, and his kiss turns harsher. He worries at Julius’ lips with his teeth, soothing the little hurts with quick laps of his tongue, until Julius is groaning into his mouth.

“Do you...?” Julius starts, running a hand down Victor’s side. He’s wearing more than Ludger does, but it suits him.

“Yes,” Victor hisses, pressing another biting kiss to Julius’ mouth. He kneels over Julius, almost sitting in his lap. He sheds his jacket and undoes his waistcoat with a little flourish – the white scarf is discarded somewhere behind him, and then Julius starts to unbutton his shirt. Victor leans down to bite and lick at Julius’ jawline. “Julius,” Victor murmurs.

The second Julius touches Victor’s bare skin, Victor shudders all over, huffing against Julius’ neck. Julius kisses him just behind his ear, and Victor shakes again.

“Long time?” Julius asks.

Victor nods, still hiding his face against Julius’ shoulder. His fingers tighten in Julius’ coat for a moment, and then he sits back on Julius’ knees and says, “You need to get undressed.”

It’s a little hard with Victor keeping him in place, but Julius manages to get free of his coat, waistcoat and shirt without looking too ridiculous. It probably wouldn’t have mattered to Victor anyway; he’s focused on Julius with an intensity Julius has never seen before. As soon as Julius’ shirt is off, Victor reaches out to smooth his hands over Julius’ chest. His gloves are cool on Julius’ skin – soft and cool and good. Victor just touches for a few moments, before shrugging his shirt off his shoulders.

There are a few new scars on Victor’s chest – a long thin line runs diagonally from his right shoulder to his left hip. Julius brushes his fingers over it, looking up at Victor questioningly.

“Bisley,” Victor says, face twisting with distaste.

Julius pets another unfamiliar scar – a much smaller one, wrapped half around Victor’s side.

Victor smiles this time. “You,” he says, leaning down to kiss Julius again.

Julius’ hand tightens on Victor’s hip, thumb brushing gently over the scar another him left behind. “Sorry,” he whispers against Victor’s mouth.

Victor kisses the apology from his lips, and settles himself more firmly in Julius’ lap. “Don’t be,” Victor replies. “I like it.” He reaches down himself, running a gloved thumb over the line. “I’ll always have something to remember you by.”

Julius has to close his eyes at that, and subsequently almost misses Victor peeling off his gloves with his teeth. There’s a glint in Victor’s eyes that says he knows _exactly_ what he’s doing to Julius.

“How far-” Julius swallows. “How far do you want this to go?”

Victor rolls his hips sinuously, murmuring, “Do you really need to ask, Julius?”

Julius forces a chuckle. “I guess not,” he replies.

 

It’s only a few days together. Time flows differently in this dimension than it does in the prime dimension, so Julius can’t be sure how long it’s been back there, but hopefully not too long. Either way, as soon as Spirius noticed Julius entering this dimension, they would have notified Ludger.

A reckoning is coming, and Julius... he doesn’t want to be there to watch.

Besides, his Ludger doesn’t need to know that Julius has- he doesn’t need to know about this.

“You’re leaving,” Victor says to him. He’s harder to read than Ludger is, but not impossible, and he’s not worn his mask since that first day. Without it, Victor’s more expressive than he thinks he is.

He sounds sad.

“You knew I wasn’t going to stay,” Julius murmurs. He touches Victor’s cheek again, thumb brushing over the line of darkness. This won’t happen to Ludger. Julius won’t let it happen to Ludger.

Victor holds Julius’ hand to his face. “I...” He turns away.

“Ludger will be here soon,” Julius continues. “I suppose it’s selfish of me, but I don’t want to watch you two fight.”

“Very selfish,” Victor replies, without heat.

Julius laughs a little. “You’re both precious to me. I don’t think I could watch you two- you understand that, don’t you, Victor?”

Victor nods.

 

When Julius leaves, Victor’s wearing his mask again.

He says, “You died for me,” as Julius leaves.

Julius smiles at him. “I’ll always die for you, Ludger.”

He kisses Victor goodbye, his nose bumping the edge of Victor’s mask, and waits in Drellin until the dimension shatters around him.


End file.
